Soviet-India Ties Still Solid, Gorbachev Says

NEW DELHI —  Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, in an apparent reference to China, said Friday that “the development of relations with third countries” will not affect the Kremlin’s friendly ties with India.

Gorbachev began a three-day state visit with a brisk motorcade under arches covered with roses, marigolds and chrysanthemums. Thousands of spectators waved Soviet and Indian flags.

Police warned all Afghan refugees to stay off the streets until the Soviet president leaves Sunday. An estimated 7,000 Afghan refugees, many of them opposed to the Soviet military involvement in their homeland, live in New Delhi.

Meets With Gandhi

Gorbachev conferred with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for more than two hours before attending a private banquet with Gandhi and President Ramaswamy Venkataraman.

In a dinner speech, Gorbachev sought to ease any doubts about the future of Soviet-Indian relations.

Gorbachev did not mention China in his speech, but he referred to “comments and rumors that are not exactly friendly.”

“Some go as far as saying that the Soviet Union is changing its priorities, even becoming cool toward India,” he said. “Comparisons are being drawn between our first visit (in 1986) and the current one, between Soviet-Indian relations and other foreign policy contacts of the Soviet leadership.

“I shall not dignify with an answer such totally groundless and obviously speculative assertions.”

Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping is scheduled to be Gorbachev’s guest in Moscow early next year, a significant warming of ties between the world’s two largest Communist nations.